In many cases, you will receive a decision the same day, with the money deposited into your bank account in as little as an hour (depending on your provider and their timescales).

When you apply for credit online you are usually required to set up an account and often require access to a mobile phone to confirm your account details by text message.

If you would rather speak to a person before applying for your loan, you can look up the lender's website for their customer care details and telephone number.

Short term lending UK

The short term lending market in the UK has experienced a period of significant change over the last three years, largely down to strict lending rules enforced by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

These new rules have brought many benefits to our customers, making short-term borrowing cheaper and more transparent.

There are also more diverse credit options, as lenders have evolved to meet the regulatory changes.

Many now offer a range of short term and longer termloans, which provide larger loan amounts over longer repayment periods.

Short term loans for bad credit

UK Credit providers want to know that you can pay the money back in full and on the dates agreed.

Some lenders have unique underwriting processes allowing them to look at you as a person now, not the person you were a year or two ago.

Acceptance isn’t guaranteed but short term credit providers are generally more open-minded than traditional lenders.

Short term loan interest rates

Interest rates on short term loans are typically much higher than mainstream finance options (such as bank loans or credit cards).

Lenders take on greater risk when they provide a loan to someone with less than perfect credit and calculate the interest rate to help mitigate losses from customers that default.

Interest is charged daily, so the shorter the loan period, the less interest is due overall.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has also capped the amount of interest that can be charged on a short-term loan (above 99.9% APR) to just 0.8% per day.

This means you will normally repay around £24 for every £100 that you borrow for 30 days.

Advantages of short term loans

The main advantage of short term credit is the immediate access to funds when there is an urgent or unexpected cash emergency.

Many people take out short term finance to cover unexpected medical expenses (like dentists or opticians), bills that are higher than expected, funeral expenses, car or home repairs, or when the money they’re expecting doesn’t arrive on time.

These emergency expenses don’t usually require larger loans offered by big high street lenders, so a credit option like this can be a more convenient option.

Short term loans are also heavily regulated for your protection and lenders must comply with strict rules enforced by the FCA to ensure fair treatment of borrowers.

The regulations stipulate that:

Borrowers must pay no more than 0.8% per day in interest

Borrowers are charged no more than £15 in fines if they fail to pay back their loan on time

Borrowers will never pay more than twice the original debt

Common short term loan disadvantages

The disadvantages of short term loans are the higher rates of interest charged compared to mainstream personal credit products.

When entering into a short term loan agreement, make sure you understand the total cost of borrowing and then repay the funds as quickly as possible. The earlier that you repay, the less interest is due on the amount borrowed.

Consider whether this type of borrowing is the best solution for your personal and financial circumstances.

Short term loan repayments

Loan repayments work much the same as any other credit product.

When the loan commences you agree to repay the money on a specific date or over an agreed period, usually in monthly instalments.

This may provide a little more breathing space than with a payday loan, although the total cost of borrowing is likely to rise due to daily interest charges.

If you are struggling to repay your loan, then notify your lender about your situation as soon as possible.

They may provide financial advice or practical support, such as an extended repayment period.

There is often a fee of £15 for late repayment but, due to FCA regulations, this can be charged only once per loan.

Growth of Short term credit

Short term credit has grown considerably over the last ten years, and there are now many FCA regulated credit providers offering short term finance solutions to UK customers.

Borrowers had to either apply to big high street lenders where bad credit is rarely accepted, or to pawnbrokers, potentially giving up their treasured possessions in return for access to short term credit.

The market has now opened up to offer borrowers more choice, with developments in both technology and financial regulation providing a lending environment that is safe and convenient.

Short term loan applications with CashLady

With so many short term loan types and lenders available, it can be difficult to know where to start.

Applying through CashLady involves just one simple application. Using our technology means your application will be seen by our panel of regulated finance providers.

We use our in-depth knowledge of the market, and established relationships with reputable firms, to match your application with the lender most likely to help.

Once we have matched your loan application with a suitable lender, you will complete your application directly and have an opportunity to ask any additional questions.

Remember to check your paperwork thoroughly and ensure you fully understand the financial implications of any financial offer you may receive.

Summary

Short term loans can provide access to emergency funds, even if you have less than perfect credit.

We strongly recommend that you do your own research and checks before agreeing to any loan agreement.

With so much information available at your fingertips, researching your options online has never been easier.

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CashLady.com is a credit brokerage website owned and operated by Money Gap Limited. We are not a lender and do not provide credit to consumers. If you make an application through this site it will be shown to a selection of UK based lending partners for careful consideration. Applicants must be 18 years or over and approval is subject to status. We will never charge a fee for our service, but do receive a commission from lenders following successful introductions originating from this website. Any information we provide is for the strict purpose of illustrating the lending process only and does not constitute any form or financial or legal advice.